Rich Diversity: Exploring Kerala's Culture

Sociological Exercise 2 India, a country with over 1 billion people, 28 states, and 121 languages, is rich in culture. A common misconception is that India has one cohesive culture, but due to colonization and geographical differences, each state is significantly different from the other. However, it should be noted that within India, there is a divide between North and South, which develops many different subcultures. Within South India there are many subcultures but there is still a similar fundamental basis. This basis involves food that is eaten and similarities within language. With that being said, Kerala, the most southern state in India which lies on the Malabar Coast, is a state that I am very familiar with. From being born there and often visiting, I am knowledgeable about the material and non material customs that Kerala contains. Moreover, the mother tongue of Kerala is Malayalam and people who are from Kerala are called Malyalees, or Mallus for short. Kerala is celebrated for its dance and music as it has a unique dance and music style. Kathakali, traditional Kerala dance, which embodies Kerala’s most prized form of culture involves both men and women wearing elaborate headdresses and having painted faces. The faces are often painted green with dramatized facial expressions painted on, which include a large red smile and exaggerated arched eyebrows created with black paint. Additionally the costumes involve a skirt that has bones that extend outward in order to give a ‘ball gown’ effect to the costume. This type of dance is performed on Onam, which is an annual festival in which King Mahabali’s homecoming is celebrated. Thus, all around Kerala there are many celebrations in which Kathakali dancers perform on stages to which the crowd congregates. Dramatized faces in art is common in Kerala, perhaps because Malayalees as a whole share the idea that beauty and glamorization is important. Many commercials, television shows, and movies reinforce that idea by advertising beauty products as a necessity. Moreover, “Fair and Lovely” is a facial bleaching cream intended to lighten complexions, which reinforces the idea that Malayalees care deeply about dramatically changing the way they look. The act of learning Kathakali and performing the dance represents the material culture Kerala has, as it prides itself in dance. However, the importance and shared idea that dance and art is vital to the sustenance of society demonstrates the nonmaterial culture. Moreover, because many people come to the Onam celebrations, dressed in cultural attire which includes lungis, which are tunics, for men, and white Saris for women, reiterates the material culture in Kerala. The idea that there is specific clothing that individuals should wear to Onam promotes the shared belief that Onam is an important cultural day for Malayalees which contributes to the non material culture. Purapadi is another tradition that Malayalees share, however, it should be noted that this tradition is something that Hindus celebrate. Kerala has multiple religions which include Islam, Christinianity, and Hinduism. In Hinduism, the coming of age of a girl is represented by her first menstruation. Thus, Purapadi is also celebrated by Hindus in Kerala. Traditionally, there is a big party that is thrown for the girl in which only women gather and bring gifts for the girl and shower her with flowers and love. Additionally, the girl is taught to drape a sari, as this ceremony represents her coming of age, and wearing a sari is the most important aspect of womanhood. The flowers, gifts, and sari are all representative of the material part of culture because it visually represents what is done to show culture. However, the importance of periods and saris all contribute to the idea that distinct womanhood is very important for Mallus. Gender identity and representing oneself as their gender is crucial to surviving in society, which demonstrates the beliefs of the nonmaterial culture. Most women fit into their role in society through wearing saris and applying makeup that emphasizes their femininity- like wearing lipstick and eyeliner. Therefore, Purapadi is a way many women in Kerala achieve their role in society and fit into their gender role because Purpadi is the coming of age for a woman. Culture is a term that is used to describe a group of people that share the same values, traditions, beliefs, language, and attire. However, there many different meanings to culture, it could mean being someone who “can speak languages other than his own, who is familiar with history, literature, philosophy, or the fine arts.” (Kluckhohn 1949). Kluckhohn is referring to the idea that culture can be seen as being knowledgeable about aspects of the world which include languages from other cultures and being informative about broader aspects of life. In terms of Malayalee culture, I believe adhering to culture means participating in the big festivals, like Onam, and dressing appropriately with the internal idea that one’s body and face can always be better. Of course, being able to speak Malayalam and eating traditional food contributes to being a part of Malyalee culture. Nonetheless, I believe that clothing and attending festivals is the most crucial part. Material culture is a major part of being Mallu, this is because of the idea that dressing well and looking your best is highly valued. This importance could be from the nonmaterial idea that one’s physical appearance can create opportunities and impressions upon people. Thus, that idea carries into the way Mallus dress and into the entertainment industry. Many movies have scenes where women are shopping or stuck in self criticism which supports the idea that appearances are very important. I believe the importance and the extent physical appearance affects Mallus is not noticed, similar to when Scott says “regulation of daily life is so ubiquitous and so embedded in our routines and expectations as to pass virtually unnoticed.” (Scott 2012) Furthermore, teachers deliver punishments to students if they do not meet the standard in dressing appropriately: specific hair style, correct uniform, and clean shoes. The idea that looking appropriate is so vital but it is unnoticed by many because it is a shared idea that looking one's best is something expected. The Generalized Other for Malyalees includes the importance of looking good as once this stage of socialization is reached, that internal need to look one’s best carries into all settings. Each gender has their own expectation of what looking good is but they both share achieving a light complexion. Kluckhohn states that there is a difference between culture and society as society is ‘ a group of people who interact with each other more than they do with other individuals’ while a culture is the ‘distinctive ways of life of such a group of people’ (Kluckhohn 1949). However, cultural attitudes and beliefs affect society. For Mallus, society will judge and discriminate against someone who does not fit societal expectations in appearance because of the cultural belief that looking one's best is important. Therefore, there is a dynamic between both society and culture by the means that culture does affect society. Culture is a complex and unique set of beliefs, attitudes, and rituals which vary depending on location. However, it can be noted that every culture has its own expectations of what a member of the culture should wear, think, and do which affects how that culture’s society is organized. In Malyalee culture in Kerala, one should fit their own gender role and take part in rituals to be considered Malayalee. With that being said, to fit one’s gender they have to dress and act the part which involves nonmaterial and material culture. Traditional attire involves lungis for men and saris for women. However, both genders share the idea that they should look their best, which involves applying makeup with bold eyeliner for women and combed hair for men. This idea that both genders should look their best comes from the nonmaterial culture of needing to be perceived as beautiful. To conclude, each culture can affect their society depending on what the culture defines as important.